City comparison
Huntsville, AL vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 1.7% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $101,700 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,136 a month in Huntsville, AL versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Huntsville, AL and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,665 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Huntsville, AL to Pittsburgh, PA ($110,847 → $110,047), while prices change by +1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Huntsville, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,718 in Pittsburgh | $98,311 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,665/yr.
63 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,665/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Huntsville → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $63,815 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $77,211 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $92,543 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $110,047 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $130,042 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $76,550 | $75,257 (+20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $124,500 | $122,397 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $76,940 | $75,640 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $82,370 | $80,979 (+5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.